Wine soirée at Nimisserie

Wine soirée at Nimisserie

Wine and food matching or wine pairing (in short) is the process of matching food dishes with wine to elevate the dining experience. It requires a very good grasp of the physical properties of wine. The perception of flavors is linked to our sense of smell while the taste practically comes from the taste buds. The sensitivity to different flavors varies from person to person. This is why, wine connoisseurs recommend wine pairings based on the more objective measurements.

In wine, there are three basic tastes- bitter, sweet and sour. The bitterness is from the tannin element in the wine. The sour element which is the dominant player in any food and wine pairing depends on the level of acidity.

The last component to be taken into account during wine pairing is the amount of alcohol. OK, it’s not like drinking till you’re tipsy and then acknowledging that the booze was high in alcohol content. The alcohol content is determined by the ‘heat’ or hotness in the back of the mouth and the former also influences the body of the wine. As far as a crash-course in wine pairing goes- this is as far as I would like to venture. It’s always best to leave such matters in the hands of the pundits.

Date & Duck Confit in a Cream Horn ShellAmuse Bouche

This brings me to the exclusive curtain raiser of “Wine Soirée” held at Nimisserie last month. A fantastic event which involved a lavish 7 course meal accompanied with 6 tasting flights of wine from the famous Sula Vineyards.

I’ve heard a lot about Chef Nimish Bhatia’s culinary skills and couldn’t have thought of a better event to experience it. Not to forget, wine sommelier- Karishma Thakur who worked with Nimish & team to curate this mind-blowing menu of delectable dishes paired with the best wine from Sula. During the course of the event, Karishma provided us with a few pointers on how they curated the menu. For example, the Sula Brut Tropicale is said to have a bitter taste up in front and a residual sweet taste at the back (of the mouth).

Hence it was paired with the Potli sack of Feta Cheese and Burnt garlic in a Melon skin. Whereas the Sula Sauvignon Blanc is a food wine and it was paired with the a salad made with Cherry Wood Smoked Salad of Prawn, Lavender, Marigold, Green Apple and Rocket Lettuce.

Champagne Sapphire with Almond Soil, Lavender Phirni

The acidity of the wine tends to cut the sweetness of the prawns and the wine itself has the essence of cut grass. But, my favorite pairing (if I may say so) was the Sula Late Harvest Chenin Blanc which is perfect with dessert and hence paired with the Champagne Sapphire with Almond soil and Lavender Phirni

. As I was saying earlier- a very intricate process indeed. Good thing that we were in the capable hands of Nimish and Karishma- hats off to them. On the whole it was a wonderful evening in the company of some amazing people. Personally, it was my first wine pairing event and I am looking forward to visiting the Sula Vineyard in Nashik soon.

Not just another food & travel blogger- I try to undertake experiences that tend to push a person- both inwardly and physically. I hold true to what I write- food reviews or travel diaries- all of them are honest and have been researched extensively. I intend to continue this way- whether I inspire anyone or hit a wall of criticism. I am Abhilash Mithren - Gulp 'n' Munch is about sharing my food and travel diaries with the world.